Highland Spring chief executive Les Montgomery has faced a backlash on social media following remarks about the Scottish Government’s pursuit of independence and its alleged negative effects on business.

The site already bottles around 500 million litres of water a year, producing for a number of brands including Highland Spring, Speyside Glenlivet, Hydr8 and a range of private label flavoured and unflavoured waters for some of the UK’s major supermarkets and food service retailers.

The factory extension follows investment in a new rail siding which will transport the equivalent of up to 60 lorry loads per day by train in a bid to reduce its carbon footprint.

Les Montgomery said at the time: “UK consumption of bottled water drinks rose 8.2 per cent in 2015 to reach almost 3.3bn litres, with a retail value in excess of £2.5bn."